In The Crimson Snow, You Will Find
by sable-fahndu
Summary: Rikuu travels backs through time to meet a dying Auron upon Mt. Gagazet. Chall. fic: Auron looses an eye, Rikku looses a limb.
1. Chapter 1

In the Crimson Snow, You Will Find...

A/N: Please review. This is my first aurriku that isn's a one-shot, so please let me know if I should continue.

Part One by SableFahndu

He was dead.

So very dead.

She frowned in her mental furies thinking on ways to torture Cid when she came home.

If she could find a way to return home. She was the reject Jecht, and it didn't feel very good. Gippal and Cid had tinkered with Zanarkand machina, a time machine that had been salvaged alomost two years ago. It didn't help with Gippal laughingly locked her in the contraption, not allowing her to exit until she claimed him " all ruler of... " well, she couldn't quite recall, but it was dumb and had resulted her in getting sent here.

Lucky her, she ended up in Gagazet with a familiar legendary guardian at her feet, dying.

She knew he was dying, he knew he was dying. And she was currenlty helping him down the slippery path to the Ronso tribe to make his request.

It wasn't the most ideal place to land in, mind you, no one who trully wants to time travel likes to reminces upon their friends death.

Not paying attention, she slipped and brought the heavy man down with her, and she gasped as the wind was knocked out of her.

" Oof, " she couldn't breath and Auron was struggling to bring himself up alone. He coughed, blood spattering upon her face and she mentally groaned in hopes to save him dignity.

' Aww, grossness. And he's dying on me, ' she wimpered in her head, trying to heft him up and off of her. A few minutes of struggle, and they were back up, pausing as Rikku took an end of his jacket without question and began wipe the blood away. His shoulders shook as he coughed, the edges of his mouth lining crimson.

The fall when he faught Yunalesca has caused ribs to slightly puncture his lungs, and they knew it wouldn't be too long now. When he calmed his illness, they moved foward, silent and stumbling as they made their way.

Auron never questioned the oddity of an Al Bhed girl in the snow, suddenly appearing before him to help him upon his death journey. Maybe it was a gift from Braska, maybe it was the helpful hand of the faith. Anyhow, he didn't question it, and took the offer gladly.

An hour later, they decended upon the tribe, a Kimahri Ronso listening intently upon the words and request of a dying man.

A/N: Short chapter. Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy anything.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. They were very kind.

Chapter Two

Him dying wasn't exactly the most glamourous thing. When I was told of him dying upon Mt. Gagazet, I was thinking the " tragedy of a hero being honored by the ronso tribe " or him " falling feather-flight from the mountain to never be seen again, " or something of that sort maybe.

I was wrong.

He died and I kept him in a tent away from the Ronso tribe. His body stiffened and the air was so cold, thank merciful God, I couldn't smell him. The blood and the dying was grossness, but the _death _had me on my knees and heaving everytime I saw him. He stayed that way for two days and I didn't know if i could take it.

Have you ever smelled a pyrefly?

Funny questioned.

Funnier answer: I have.

Pretty whispery down colors, but the _smell_.

Pyreflies smell like the dead things beneath the ocean, the poison within a rotting fiend, the yucky green-goo of fried flem. Disgusting. The ultimate grossness.

The third day, I was prodding a fire with a stick, bored from the lack of anything, sick of the decay a few feet from me, and...

" Holy Shit, " I knew it would happen sooner or latter, but tell you what kiddies, it doesn't hold a Al Bhed popcicle, via Gagazet, to seeing your friend/not really friend, more like mean guardian guy, hovering over you. His coat was off, and he wasn't looking at me but the fire.

I had my stick infront of me like some kind of weapon, blinking. " Your...still here. " He said it softly, bruskly, like he was in a trance. His eyes then turned to me and I swallowed.

My mind was running around screaming " He's alive! "

And the smell. He smelt of ashes and ocean. How do you go around smelling like ashes and ocean! Especially when you were dead and previously smelt it?

" Going to Zanarkand with you, " it came out fast and in a rush and I'm surprised he caught it.

His eyebrow rose, his closeness making me nervouse. ' Hasn't he ever heard of personal space? The man's face is three inches from mine. '

He stood, walking back to the tent. I could hear him moving in there, but said nothing, turning back to the fire.

Word for the day: _Weird_. I mean, ubber-weird, like Seymour claw weird, Mika in a bathing-suit weird, Wakka hating Blitzball weird.

You just didn't see people die and then jump back up saying, " Hi! I'm dead. Let's get going, I'm hungry. "

It doesn't happen that way.

He came back out, wearing his coat, sword slung over his shoulder.

" I need supplies. Then we'll wait for Jecht. "

It was all he would give me. I abandoned my fire and followed sluggishly, my calves hurting from the snow.

-------------------------------------------------

We didn't get supplies. We got sunglasses and a cowl.

When he was trying on the sunglasses, I eyed the merchant, wondering if he was a relative of O-aka.

Guardian man had money stashed in his coat, making me thankful that he didn't look to me for cash. Gil wasn't something I travelled back through time with.

Once, I had wondered why Auron had always worn his glasses in the dark. Maybe it was one of those, " I'm so cool, I can't ever take 'em off " badass things.

I never thought about his death and what it meant to be unsent.

His eye's were sensitive to the light. Even worse was the glare from the sun hitting the snow. My goggles did me fine, and led us through the snow before we found a merchant, Auron's eye closed, hand in mine.

His hearing and sense of smell were sharper. The cowl helped staved the light from under his glasses, and after that, he could walk on his own.

He never questioned me on my comming. Never asked me why I wanted to go.

Would I be honest with him? Or would I lie?

I needed to go to Zanarkand. Where else would I find time-machina?

And I needed food. Now.

" What's your name? " he whispered as we walked, me trudging behind him.

" Rikku. "

" Auron, " he turned to me, as if expecting something.

" I know who you are. " Hey, honesty is the best policy.

He smiled at that.

A/N: I won't be able to update for a while. I'm moving so it might be a few weeks. Please review.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Don't own it

A/N: In college now. London smells. I'll try to update when I can.

Part Three- In the Crimson Snow, You Will Find...

by sable-fahndu

We were silent, staring into the night by the water, the stillness and draft of the air causing me to shiver.

' What is it you know? '

I knew what he meant. It was like a repeated story made into a play, and I finally got the part. Only, the top-notched,   
squeeky tragic tale was revised a little bit.

' I know who you are, what you saw, and what you plan to do. ' I sound so cool, don't I? Like some ubber-awesome prophet, eh?  
No? Oh well, it was worth a short.

' How so? ' He was smiling. Small, but it was good.

' I'm from the future. 'Give it to him hard, Rikku. It's not like he just wen't through a load of crap.

Really, I thought now was the best time. Now, when he had seen so much, when he had been through so much,  
and he was prepared for anything. I wouldn't want to lie and screw myself in the end, cause pep's, somehow,  
I always manage to do it.

' Machina? '

' How else? '

He nodded, ' And you want to go back home? '

' Yep. '

' This world...it isn't real. It's only a dream. You know that, right? '

I sighed, deep and heavy, ' Guardian man, it's the only shot I have. '

' Very well. '

Auron likes to keep it simple. I remember the times I would question him and he would merely stare at me blankly,  
or a simple grunt would follow. But now, I appreciated it. Because as silent and still everything was, it really  
wasn't. And with everything going down down down, and so very wrong, I wanted to keep things as simple as possible.

' Did you know me? In the future? '

' We could have died together, my good man. '

And that was that.

Sin's a scary thing, no matter how many times you kick his ass. So, it was no surprise when I saw him in the  
distance. I squeeked, jumping behind Auron, ' Jecht ' getting closer by the second.

Auron smiled at the monster. An honest smile.

' I'm ready, ' he whispered to it, his eye's forward and focused.

My heart clenched then for the man. Hard and heavy. I grabbed his hand, no knowing why.

I would have never done so with future Auron of doom. But I did now. And the understanding was so smooth, that  
no questiones were asked.

A/N: sorry. short. but I'm not home. And I don't have a comp. right now. Next part, zanarkand.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

The lights were fuzzy and hazy as I lent against him, his coat tight within my clutches. ' Stand up, people are staring. '

What did ' Big in Red' care? I wobbled and almost collapsed against him. He dragged me to a niche between buildings and I heaved. Long, hard, wretched, and sour. The bile and vomit continued endlessly untill I felt I could not breath. Gasping for air, my chest rising and falling, I did it again.

The smell of pyreflies is always horridly unpleasant, but Sin had reaked of nothing but death.

Endless death, eternal death, agonizing slow, draining, painful, and so much more. I couldn't stop myself,. Auron said nothing as I finished my illness, his silence making me feel guilty. Of course he wouldn't get sick. He was dead. The scent would merely disturb him, nothing to my degree. I was on my knees, my head against the wall, shivering. My vioce was heavy as it croaked, ' Where to now? '

' Jecht's wife. Someone was bound to know where the man lived. '

' You have no idea... '

He looked to me then, his eye calculative, ' Really... '

' Don't think on it, Red. I can't tell you everything. ' I raised my hand and he grasped it firmly, hauling me up, ' This...what I'm doing...will...is it going to work? '

I smiled, my face pale and sickly, eye's probably drowned in black circles, ' Yeah. ' It was a small concession and I don't know if he believed me, but he accepted the answer without a reply. #

------------------

I didn't play the role of ' mysterious woman ' next to guardian man as he spoke to Jecht's wife. Girly girl I am, I stayed in a tree like a quiet, edgy monkey, hidden from view.

It wasn't easy, you know? Staying in that tree, watching her crumple to the floor. Auron merely stood there akwardly, not knowing what to do.

I don't like comforting people. Never have. Sharing pain when you have a thread of your own about to set loose like a Rhonso cub on crack is pretty tough. Like I said, I hate comforting people. Thing is, I'm good at it.

Smile pretty, Rikku-girl. And I do it. Feels good for a little while to. But later when your alone in the darkness of your room, waiting for sleep, you remember. And it's when you remember that it hurts. And it always hurts so very much.

She clawed at him. Screamed and punched. Socked him good in the jaw too, you didn't know about that, did you? And he took it and said nothing. She slammed the door in his face, the wind causing his hair to breifling billow in the current. He lft the ship, over the dark, and met me upon the land where I jumped from my hiding position.

' Will she be alright? '

' I can't tell you everything. '

' Best then...' Grass led to pavement, where pavement led to the towering city of Zanarkand. And Pop's, you should have been there.

There is Zanarkand, the city we picture within our minds when our Mommies tell us the stories before were tucked in for the night, Zanarkand, the city archeolgists dream about when discovering different articfacts, Zanarkand, the ruined place where so much was once held so high.

And then there was Zanarkand, here and now. And no matter how I describe it, it just never has the full effect. My description of Zanarkand; a dream city.

A dream, and nothing more.

--------------------

' It's wrong. '

La sigh, ' It was for a good cause. '

' You stole his money. '

' I know, I'm a good theif, huh? Piping hot, flash fast, and very hungry. Now we can eat and sleep. '

Insert eye-rollage, via Auron.

' No mind, no mind, think of it another day, ' I sang.

Auron almost passed me by as I stared at the city, taking it in. Even so, it wasn't as if stoic-boy wasn't amazed to. Behind his glasses, his eye flit from building to building, taking in the surrondings.

I didn't know it, and I would never think it, but I would find later that Zanarkand had Auron. It was a city for him, a city meant for him. And later, his would fit it to his own needs. Later, I would wonder if this was where he would choose to stay, had everything been different.


	5. Chapter 5

In The Crimson Snow, You Will Find

Part Five

by SableFahndu

_Disclaimer: don't own it. _

Dead.

Dead dead dead.

Everything bleeding blacker than black, consuming, and empty.

Everything gone.

Dead dead dead, it was Spira's number one hit song and bound classic.

Jecht's wife proved no different. Even in her secure little dreamworld, the reality made it's mark.

Dead.

-------------------------------------------

Tidus was silent, refusing to look up at Auron, his fingers clasped tight to mine, crushing the bones.

I didn't cry. So long had my tears been bred out of me. I didn't even know if I was capable of it anymore.

The rain was hard and blinding, pounding on my umbrella. Auron stood across from us, unsheltered. Friends said their goodbyes, giving Auron and I strange, questioning looks as the eventually left, never a by-your-leave said to the boy at my side. The air was cold and I shivered at the dampness. I had made the mistake of wearing an off-the-shoulder pink sweater unstead of something more substantial and I was paying for it. My denim pants had earned glares from the other people attending the funeral, and it was then that I learned you buried the dead, you didn't send them, and that you always wore black at the ceremonies when in dream Zanarkands.

Auron's red didn't do any better.

--------------------------------------------

' You play blitzball? ' I had the thing in my head, cocking my head as I looked to the boy on the dock. He was sitting cross legged and my body had casted a shadow over his form. It had been a week scince the funeral.

' I hate blitzball. ' That struck me as odd.

' You? Hate blitzball? '

He nodded and when he looked up at me, his eye's squinting from the sunlight, I could see the anger on his face, ' My father played blitzball. '

Understood.

Of course he didn't play. It was what his dad did, it was something to loath and to reject. I remembered his happiness at the sport when he played with Wakka and how he described his team in Zanarkand.

Improvise.

' But you should learn how to play. Learn to be the best so you can kick his ass. '

His head shot up and he looked at me in wonder, ' You... '

' Yeah? Want to play, huh? '

' No...You said..., ' and the next part he looked around his shoulder to make sure no one was watching and he stood up to whisper, ' ass. '

I burst into laugher immediately.

He looked worried suddenly.

' You don't tell Auron what I said and we'll both be okay. '

He nodded hurriedly and I put the ball in front of him.

' Game? '


	6. Chapter 6

In the Crimson Snow, You Will Find...

Part Six

by: sablefahndu

A/N: Short chapter.

Stunned.

Purely shocked. And Auron was watching my reaction with amusement too, as the child looked up at me with his cerulean blue eyes.

' I'm hungry. '

Rikku's cooking killed. And Tidus was so sweet. I looked to guardian man, a small flash of a grin etching his face, ' I'm hungry too. '

His tone was slightly mocking which irked me to shove my Godhand in his face, had I the means to travel in the future to get it.

Yet, were I able to return, I would never some back, right?

La sigh.

For nazi-Al Bhed's amusement began the story of _Rikku and the Tragic Appertiser_. Suffice to say, that story will never be told. Only know that it involved dead food, Auron chasing Al Bheds, and Tidus eating ice cream for dinner.

shudder

------------------------------------------

It wasn't until a month later that I began my search for a way home.

Sneaky-thief Rikku hacked and hid.

And yes, Zanarkand had a time machine.

It's very first time machine.

The latest covert project.

And the scheduled completion:

Three years.

I howled and cried. I screamed and inwardly bled.

It was Auron who found me and took me home.

_Home_?

' Home. '


End file.
